Follow Up to "Basics" Lecture

As explained in class, these lecture notes are only available because it was the first lecture given during the quarter. No other lecture notes will be available on the website this quarter (excluding unforeseen exceptions).

Melody:
-A single line of notes heard in succession as a coherent unit.
-Has shape, moving up or down in ways that capture and hold our attention over a span of time.
-Like a story: has a beginning, middle, and end.
-Note: smallest unit of music, the building block out of which larger structures are created
Rhythm:
-Rhythm is the ordering of music through time.
-Not all music has a melody, but all music has rhythm.
-Can be steady, or unpredictable.
-Meter: an underlying pattern of beats that maintains itself consistently throughout a work.
    -Waltz = triple meter
    -March = duple meter
-Measure: a grouping of beats, determined by the meter
    -Waltz = 3 beats per measure I 1 2 3 I 1 2 3 I 1 2 3 I
    -March = 2 beats per measure I 1 2 I 1 2 I 1 2 I
Harmony:
-Sound created by multiple notes played or sung simultaneously.
-Enriches the melody by creating a fuller sound than can be produced by a single voice.
-Helps determines the character/mood of a piece
-Melody = horizontal music
-Harmony = vertical music (i.e. chords)
-Chord = three or more notes played at the same time
Texture: based on the number and general relationship of musical lines or voices.
-Monophonic: a single melody with no accompaniment
-Homophonic: a melody played with accompaniment
-Polyphonic: many independent lines of equal importance
Timbre: the character of a sound (color).
-Can have many different instruments play the same note, but each has their own timbre.

These are the videos that I mentioned in the lecture. The first 3 demonstrate the power of melody, and 4 and 5 demonstrate the power of harmony.
1. Nestles Chocolate
2. Rice Krispies Cereal
3. Slinky Toy
4. "Sad" Happy Birthday
5. "Happy" Happy Birthday